Najmuddin A Farooqi.
A persistent paradox in human society is the limited appeal of logical, scientific and rational thought when compared to the widespread acceptance of myths, miraculous narratives and emotionally charged rhetoric. Universally accepted principles grounded in reason, evidence, and realism often struggle to engage the collective conscience of the public. Conversely, fantastical claims, gothic storytelling and ideological mythmaking not only captivate audiences but are embraced with conviction. This phenomenon raises a fundamental question about the nature of public reasoning and the vulnerability of societies to manipulation.
Rational thought demands intellectual discipline, critical inquiry and moral courage. It challenges long held assumptions and requires individuals to confront uncomfortable realities. Myth based narratives, by contrast, offer emotional reassurance, simplified moral binaries and a sense of belonging. They reduce complexity into digestible slogans and provide certainty where ambiguity exists. As a result, reason is frequently overshadowed by rhetoric and evidence is replaced by emotion.
Within this environment, certain groups and ideological movements have mastered the art of obfuscation. Their discourse is characterized by circular reasoning, deliberate ambiguity and strategic delay speaking extensively while avoiding direct answers or substantive progress. This practice, best described as deliberate obfuscation or equivocation, keeps dialogue in perpetual motion without clarity or resolution. Such tactics create the illusion of engagement while systematically evading accountability.
The consequences of this approach are not merely intellectual; they are deeply political and social. Obfuscation obstructs development, resists peace initiatives and undermines social harmony. Its danger lies in its subtlety. Like a silent malignancy, it spreads confusion, polarizes communities, and gradually escalates disputes from local disagreements to international crises. In diplomacy, where clarity and trust are essential, such manipulation can be particularly destructive.
Actors who rely on these tactics often excel in covert propaganda. They amplify the perceived flaws of their adversaries while carefully concealing their own weaknesses. Through selective narratives and moral inversion, they portray themselves as victims while casting aspersions on others. In doing so, they distort ethical frameworks and erode the possibility of honest dialogue. Truth becomes negotiable and falsehood gains legitimacy through repetition.
In contrast, genuinely principled individuals and nations tend to pursue progress, stability and peace objectives that align not only with rational governance but also with authentic religious and moral traditions. True faith does not fear reason; it is strengthened by it. When belief systems coexist with intellectual honesty, societies advance. When faith is exploited as a political tool, stagnation and conflict become inevitable.
In a recent interview in which veteran Iranian diplomat Javad Zarif stated that “everybody lost any faith in diplomacy” following Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran after multiple rounds of reconciliation talks. Zarif attributed diplomatic failure to Israeli obstruction and criticized what he described as a style of diplomacy that turns negotiations into warfare. While such statements resonate emotionally, they require careful contextual examination.
Zarif’s rhetoric reflects a recurring pattern: a simultaneous portrayal of Iran as both victim and invincible power. He speaks of intimidation while projecting Iran as fearless, technologically advanced and intellectually superior. He demands respect while warning of Iran’s scientific prowess and strategic reach. This contradiction raises a legitimate question: why must a state that claims exceptional strength repeatedly assert that it is being threatened?
Iran’s self-identification as the “axis of resistance” further complicates this narrative. Through regional proxies such as Hezbollah the Houthis, and the Assad regime in Syria, Iran frames its actions as resistance against oppression. Yet these interventions have often intensified regional instability, prolonged conflicts and deepened humanitarian crises. At the same time, Iranian officials attempt to monopolize moral authority by presenting themselves as the sole defenders of the Palestinian cause, while implicitly discrediting Arab states that pursue diplomatic or pragmatic alternatives.
What remains largely absent from such discourse is an honest acknowledgment of Iran’s internal challenges economic pressures, political dissent and international isolation. By projecting strength outward, the regime deflects attention from vulnerabilities within. More concerning, however, are the covert media campaigns that sanitize Iran’s actions while maligning Arab states, particularly Saudi Arabia, with the apparent aim of undermining their religious and moral standing among Muslim populations.
The imperative, therefore, is vigilance. Societies must cultivate critical thinking, resist seductive falsehoods and distinguish principled resistance from ideological manipulation. Only through reasoned discourse, ethical consistency and intellectual integrity can peace, progress, and genuine harmony be sustained in an increasingly polarized world.
